Period Poverty Statistics – What Are Some Highlights?

In the last decade there has been an uptick of studies and research done regarding period poverty and other women’s issues. From that research, we have a good amount of period poverty statistics to study. Here are some highlights from the research:

• Approximately 500 million women worldwide find themselves without access to menstrual supplies.[1] They are unable to manage their menstrual cycle in a safe and hygienic way.
• 1.25 billion women and girls lack access to a safe, private toilet, and 526 million don’t even have a toilet.[2] This creates a difficult and often unsafe environment for women.
• In the United States, 16.9 million women who menstruate are living in poverty.[3]
• Studies from Kenya find that, in order for some schoolgirls to get menstrual products, they must engage in transactional sex to pay for the products.[4]
• A 2021 survey of college students in the United States found that 10 percent of female students skip classes because they can’t afford menstrual products each month.[5]
• Many countries in Africa—including Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, Ghana, and Nigeria—have a lack of access to safe, clean, private spaces for menstrual hygiene.[6]

These factors continue the cycle of poverty, especially in developing countries. When women are unable to finish school or work a regular schedule, the cycle of poverty continues. An enlightening study from Bangladesh revealed that “73% of women missed work for an average of 6 days a month…However, when the HERproject provided pads and a behavior change work-based intervention, absenteeism dropped by 3 percent.”[7] Providing supplies is an easy solution to absenteeism at work.